In Search of the iPhone 3GS

Want to be among the first to own the Apple iPhone (News - Alert) 3GS? You can start scouting your spot in line now by pre-ordering the device.

 

As the exclusive carrier of the iPhone 3GS, AT&T stores plan to open at 7 a.m. on June 19, the day the device goes on sale.  Customers who pre-ordered their iPhone, whether online or at any one of AT&T’s (News - Alert) 2,200 stores, can join the crowds at AT&T stores. The benefit is they will receive priority processing until normal business hours, according to a Yahoo! Tech report.

 

 

Consumers who favor Internet shopping can pre-order the device online with Apple (News - Alert). The company, in turn, will ship the smartphone for free, Yahoo! Tech said. Apple Retail Stores are also accepting reservations for iPhone 3GS, and customers can pick it up on June 19. Some of those will open at 8 a.m. for early pick-ups, the report said.

 

Apple’s iPhone 3GS is emerging as the hot new device in a growing field of smartphones. The Palm Pre debuted on June 6. And already, the hot new device appears to be shelves. As TMCnet recently reported, the status of smartphones has changed from a nice-to-have gadget to a must-have necessity.

 

The new iPhone 3GS 16GB will be available for $199, whereas a 32GB model will be available for $299, TMCnet reported. Consumers looking for a less costly model can buy the 8GB for $99.

 

The new iPhone 3GS features a three-megapixel resolution and auto focusing camera. The latest model is said to have the ability to load applications twice as fast as previous 3G model.  The voice control feature offers hands free operation for both iPhone and iPod functions. It also includes a built-in digital compass for instant navigation, as well as iPhone OS 3.0 software with more than 100 new features including: Cut, Copy and Paste; MMS; Spotlight Search to search across iPhone or within Mail, Contacts, Calendar and iPod; landscape keyboard for Mail, Messages, Notes and Safari. Even better, the phone has a cool new feature sure to please some: a display screen with an oil-resistant coating designed to keep the device fingerprint free.

 

What’s the early verdict in the Pre versus iPhone 3GS race? TMC (News - Alert) President Rich Terhani recently wrote that “the iPhone wins… because of the slew of apps on the market, which run on the device.” But he conceded, “If the Pre can gain traction and wee armies of developers rolling out software which runs on it then it is possible I could be neutral on this race.”